EXERCISE AND FITNESS

EXERCISE AND FITNESS

EXERCISE AND FITNESS

Regular physical activity is the
closest thing there is to a miracle dru g .
Regular physical activity, whether it’s walking
up a few flights of stairs or running a marathon,
is the closest thing that exists to a miracle drug.
R e s e a rch has shown that exerc i s e :
• Helps prevent heart disease and stroke.
• Lowers blood pressure.
• Helps control diabetes.
• Lowers stress levels.
• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and improves mood.
• Prevents obesity.
• Reduces the risk of developing certain cancers, including colon cancer.
• Improves brain function.
• Helps fight off some of the most common signs of aging, such as arthritis,
loss of bone density (called osteoporosis) and memory loss.
Despite all these benefits, over half of Americans get less exercise than they
should, and a quarter get none at all. African-American and Hispanic-American
men are somewhat less likely to exercise than white men.

WHAT KIND OF EXERCISE SHOULD YOU DO?

There are two basic kinds of exerc i s e :
• Aerobic exercise involves increasing your heart rate and breathing and
keeping them at higher levels for an extended period. Aerobic exerc i s e
strengthens the heart and burns fat. Examples include fast walking,
running, hiking, bike riding, swimming, skiing, basketball, karate, even
jumping rope.
• Anaerobic exercise involves short periods of intense exercise followed by
a period of rest. Anaerobic builds muscle and strengthens bones. Examples
include weight lifting and sprinting.
Both kinds of exercise are important and you should try to get some of both
e v e ry day.

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU EXERCISE?

Before starting any exercise program, talk it over with your doctor for guidance.
If you haven’t been very active until now, start off easy—you may only be able
to do five minutes per day. But gradually increase your time until you’re up to
20 minutes or more per day. Your goal is to increase your heart rate and breathing.
You want to feel slightly out of breath, but not so out of breath that you can’t
c a r ry on a conversation.

I d e a l l y, you should try to get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise on most days (the
more the better, but try for at least three to five). That may seem like a lot,
especially if you haven’t been exercising regularly. But the good news is that you
d o n ’t have to do it all at one time. Instead, you can spread it out over the course
of your day. Research has shown that even simply walking quickly for as little
as 30 minutes per day decreases your risk of having a heart attack, stroke and
d i a b e t e s .
Any kind of activity—even mowing
the lawn, washing your car, or
wrestling with your children—is better
than none. But you won’t benefit v e ry
much from doing exerc i s e unless you
do it more than two times per week or
more than 10 minutes per day. And if
you’re interested in losing weight,
you’ll need to get at least 30 minutes of
continuous aerobic exercise a minimum
of five days per week.
The best way to ensure that you’re getting the most out of each workout is to get
your heart rate into the target zone and keep it there for 30 minutes. Calculating
your target rate is a two-step process.
• Find your maximum heart rate. To do that, simply subtract your age from
220. So if you’re 44 years old, your maximum heart rate is 176.
• Your target zone is 50 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. So if your
max rate is 176, your target zone is 88 to 141 beats per minute.
Finding an activity or two that you enjoy is the key to making exercise a lifelong
habit. Most people don’t do this, though, and that’s why more than half of those
who start an exercise program don’t stick with it for more than six months.
F o r t u n a t e l y, there are dozens of easy ways to increase the amount of exercise you
get every day. Here are just a few examples:
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator whenever you can.
• When you go out shopping, park your car as far away as you can from
where you’re going. If you take public transportation, get off a few stops
early and walk the rest of the way.
• Do some sit-ups, pushups, squats, or jumping jacks, or use a ski-machine or
treadmill while you’re watching television.
• Participate in a Wa l k - A - T h o n .
• Carry your own groceries instead of letting a clerk do it for you.
• Use a manual lawn-mower instead of a power model.
• Skip that mid-morning cup of coffee and go for a walk around the office
i n s t e a d .
• Join a group or find a workout partner.
• Take a dance class with your partner.